VIDEO: Porpoise rescued from Grangemouth burn

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Published:14:40Tuesday 17 April 2018

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A rescue operation was launched this morning (Tuesday) after a harbour porpoise was found in a Grangemouth burn.

A member of the public spotted the mammal struggling in the shallow water of the town’s Grange Burn before raising the alarm.

A Police Scotland spokesman said officers were contacted at around 7.25am after a young female porpoise was discovered within the burn in Grangeburn Road by a member of the public.

Police attended and passed the incident to the Scottish SPCA and other expert agencies.

Bob Ward, animal rescue officer for the Scottish SPCA, said: “We were alerted to a porpoise that became stranded in shallow waters in Grange burn.

“It is likely the porpoise became disorientated and got caught out by the changing tides.

Pic: Scottish SPCA

“The tide had already gone out so we laid wet towels on top of her and transported her to Blackness where we managed to get her into deeper water.”

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) officers were called to the scene and after checking the porpoise for injuries and taking advice from a vet, the rescue team lifted it from the water and drove it to a spot at Blackness with deeper water.

Mr Ward added: “It was such a relief to get her back into the water safely thanks to a tremendous team effort from British Divers Marine Life Rescue and my fellow animal rescue officer Kirsty Mitchell.”

The BDMLR has praised the woman who found the stricken porpoise after she waded in to the cold, muddy water and helped keep it afloat until help arrived.

Pic: Scottish SPCA

Video captured by Michelle Ferrier on Facebook shows the pospoise clinging to the shore as rescuers prepare to transport it to deeper water at Blackness.

Commenting on the video, Sarah Smith said the rescue went well: “[It] was looking pretty good when it left. It stayed calm and let them do their job.